Polyend vs Akai Time Stretching

Main question:

How does the Polyend Time Stretching algorithm sound/perform in comparison to those found in many classic Akai Samplers? [Example S-950 and S-3000]

Here are the parameters, which we work with within The Tracker:

Time Stretching Note

Time Stretching Beat

Similar effect can also be obtained by using a track and then copy same note to all the steps and using fill with the sample position effect.

Here are the parameters, which we work with within The Akai environment:

Without making lots of LCD screenshots from Akai sub menus, a plugin called Akaizer was created by Ben Burchett, which captured the essential feel of the classic Akai Time Stretching and it looks like this parameter-wise:

Notes from Akaizer:

  • Akaizer can time stretch (and/or pitch shift) any in the style of the ‘cyclic’ time stretch which featured on old Akai sound samplers, like the S950 / S1000 / S2000 / S3000 series.
  • CLASSIC simulates the Akai cyclic time stretch as faithfully as possible, with perfect pitch but with minor quirks like bad timing.
  • REVISED improves on the classic algorithm with perfect timing and a fuller sound but with the minor compromise of the pitch drifting ever so slightly away from its true key with some settings.

I actually never compared it to the AKAI timestretch nor have i had a AKAI sampler in 20 years, so somebody else might be able to say more about this.

But if i’m looking for that sound, i tend to go hybrid.
As in: send MIDI to a VST that will give me that exact sound.

I had both Akai S-950, S-1000 and S-3200XL in the past, but I didn’t use the Time Stretching features. I used them as drum modules with small single samples.